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Federal and state criminal investigations into a Virginia woman who distributed leaflets disclosing the home address of a White House official, Stephen Miller, have prompted a secret court fight over the balance between personal safety and free speech at a time of rising political violence, recently unsealed court documents show.
The records, which were reviewed by The New York Times, reveal that a local court approved the search of a cellphone belonging to the woman as part of an investigation that included multiple local law enforcement agencies as well as the F.B.I. and Secret Service.
The activist, Barbara Wien, has not been charged with any crime, though the Virginia State Police still have her phone. The investigation remains active, leaving it unclear whether law enforcement has since gathered additional evidence.
The dispute captures the fierce tensions over political activism that have become a defining feature of the second Trump presidency, pitting the Miller family’s concerns for their security against the First Amendment claims of a critic of the administration.
In an atmosphere in which political violence against Republicans and Democrats has become more common, administration officials have increasingly voiced worries about their security, citing in particular the assassination of the right-wing activist Charlie Kirk and two attempts in 2024 to kill Donald J. Trump.
But liberal groups and activists say the White House is seeking to demonize its political opponents and use the levers of government to stamp out opposing views in the name of public safety.
